Pipe elements such as pipes, valves, and meters typically are not made of one piece. Rather, such pipe elements are typically formed in finite lengths and must be joined. One way of joining such pipe elements is through the use of a coupling member. A sealing gasket is typically disposed in a coupling void that comprises at least one coupling segment which is thereafter tightened around the pipe elements to be joined. Similarly, pipe sockets may be used to join pipes, including pipes having different diameters, or to join a valve or meter to a pipe where the end of the valve or meter may have approximately the same outer diameter as a pipe. When the pipe socket has pipe threads on one end and gripping members on the other end, the pipe socket may have one end with a larger diameter having internal pipe threads for receiving the external threads of a pipe, valve, or meter and another end with a smaller diameter for frictionally receiving and retaining a pipe element. In some cases, the pipe socket may be integral with a valve, meter, pipe, hydrant or other pipe element.